A Matter Of Time
by Shiory
Summary: After the events of the movie Merida is shocked to Find Mor'du still roaming the woods of her homeland! When the great bear sees her she fear the end but oddly it merely turns away. Intrigued Merida follows him into destiny.
1. Chapter 1

**A Matter Of Time**

After the events of the movie Merida is shocked to Find Mor'du still roaming the woods of her homeland! When the great bear sees her she fear the end but oddly it merely turns away. Intrigued Merida follows him into destiny.

Chapter 1

Discovery

Dawning beautifully Bright golden light shown through the slight parting in the curtains. Merida sighed rolling over before her eyes popped open, that's right! She sat up and quickly tossed off her covers running quickly to dress, pausing to look at the elegant tapestry that hung on her wall, reaching out to pass her fingers over the messy stitching she herself had done to save her mother from a fate she'd caused.

After all had been said and Done Merida had asked her mother if she could keep the tapestry. Something had passed between them, something only a mother and daughter could understand and with a nod Elinor Merida found herself in possession of the repaired tapestry, she swore that it would remain ever a reminder to be happy with what she had, and to never try to change anyone… but herself.

Securing her quiver and grabbing her new bow, a good and proper one that Elinor herself had gifted Merida as an apology for destroying her beloved bow from her father. She smiled glancing at the mirror flicking at her hair and sighing shaking her head with a smile, as much as she did want to keep a good relationship with her mother, her wild fire hair would always be proof of her untamable nature.

Satisfied Merida rushed from her room snatching an apple from the breakfast table and casting a smile at her parents "I'm going out today." She declared Elinor nodding indulgently as she reviewed the lessons of the last week and the needs of the castle while her father King Fergus was regaling his sons of his fight with the demon bear Mor'du. Rolling her eyes Merida waved and slipped through the door feeling at peace with her mother's acceptance, for now, of her free nature. In exchange Merida was making a real effort with her lessons 9that wasn't to say however; that she didn't still get bored and frustrated with them at times) But she felt at least she owed it to her mother to make the same efforts.

Running out vaulting over the banister and dashing across the dewy grass Merida smiled apple held securely between her teeth as she Grabbed her saddle dancing playfully out of the way as Angus made a bite for her apple waving a finger as she settled the blanket and saddle on the back of her beloved mount securing the straps before heaving herself up shaking out her hair and pulling on the rains taking the bite finally and grabbing it tossing it out grinning as Angus caught it with surprising delicacy and munched gleefully on the sweet fruit before following the nudges of his mistress and with a whinny galloped out of the sables and through the gate. The sky was a brilliant blue clouds shining early morning gold as she rode like the wind laughing delightedly as angus leapt over a fallen tree riding on through open clean morning air.

Pulling the bow from around her she notched her first arrow and let it fly grinning with delight but no time to be arrogant she moved on to the next and the next each arrow flying home hitting dead center it's respective target. She grinned as Angus approached the beautiful circle of stone drawing him up short as he shuffled making his displeasure know, he didn't like this place.

Merida had long accepted whatever power held in this stone circle was something that didn't sit well with him. So she dismounted watching the clearing with dubious eyes before stepping slowly inside. Looking around just in case, on the unlikely occasion someone had followed her. No one to her knowledge had approached the circle since that terrible dawn when she'd almost lost her mother, and her life to the bear Mor'du. Looking at the fallen stone she frowned creeping closer the stone had been moved flipped she frowned but… that couldn't be right, she knew that night she'd seen the blue spirit of the prince rise and nod to her hadn't the bear died, hadn't the prince been freed of his curse?

She touched the cool stone as if it might hold some answer as to why it was turned over and no bear lay beneath but nothing came. She let out a long slow breath she hadn't realized she'd held. The bear was gone… had her father taken it? As some trophy? No surely he'd have boasted it about surely had have the head on that plaque in the main hall where he had so often before proclaimed her would hang the beasts head! How could this have happened then if not her father, who had taken the body of the demon bear?

After a moment of thinking Merida realized why this whole place seemed so strange, she looked up confused, there wasn't a sound… no morning birds sag their heart to the glorious morning. Fog, which had parted the morning her mother had been freed rolled murky and deep between the stones. Standing quickly Merida moved quickly drawing notching and arrow and looking around. What good it would do her. No she was being silly the bear was dead long dead! Staggering back she looked around something wasn't right, the air felt wrong. Something was here her whole body felt tense on edge aware of the energy that crackled in this magical place invisible in the air before her.

A twig snapped and she whipped around letting out a breath she could just make out Angus shifting near a tree as far as he dare go from her. The acute sense of being watched seemed to flar like fire at her back, whipping around she felt a scream bubble as die in her throat loosing the arrow she watched it sink into the inky hide of the demon bear. "Mor'du!" she finally managed as if somehow saying the name would cast away the illusion, No! it couldn't be possible. Stumbling back against one of the magic stone she felt heath radiate out at her touch and watch as rather than advancing the bear shook it paw moving large and heavy knocking free the arrow from it hide. Before looking up with a growl, she quickly notched another arrow but something in her whispered, something bid her

_Wait_

Her hand stilled watching the bear as it watched her. And she saw it, the eyes once black as pitch where clear and green eyeing her with suspicion before the bear seemed to snort turning and with great strides lumbered from the ring of stone growling and moaning in ways she recognized, her mother own attempts at speech had sounds just the same!

"W-what's going on here?" The princess breathed sinking to her knees as shock took hold, biting her lip. The demon bear Mor'du was alive but… it's eyes where clear and green as any mans. She'd shot it! But rather then attacking her it had… it had scoffed! That noise suddenly it made sense and Merida felt a flare of indignation how dare he scoff at her! Didn't he understand how frightened she was facing him?! Oh, oh boy Think? What was she thinking wondering if a bear was thinking?

She looked up frowning, she knew the path the bear had taken, mist still swirled in his wake. That path had lead to the fallen kingdom. Where Mor'du made his home. Curiosity burned in her heart and against her better judgment Merida followed pausing seeing a blue wisp alight on the path yes she knew as she saw it gesture, she was meant to follow.

As She slipped from between the stone Angus trotted up to follow, moving Merida hauled herself into the saddle and trotted along after the wisp bracing herself, no birds sang and slowly the trees became sparse and bar wiry branches reaching out like boney fingers, on snagged in her hair and she flinched somehow this path seemed far more foreboding, what destiny awaited her this way following a dead, living bear?

She looked up as they approached the arch of the fallen kingdom studying the crossed axes of the emblem before angus toed past carefully growing jittery the farther he went. Felling mercy for the poor beleaguered horse Merida dismounted patting the side of his face gently reassuring before continuing on passing her hand over fallen tones of the wall her mother had toppled in an attempt to slow him so many months before.

As the fog parted and the ruins became clear she saw what had lured her. Haunches up the black bear watched her with suspicion and weary fear eyeing her bow with distaste so clear it shocked her. Again against her better judgment she carefully set the bow down. The bears ears perked as it watched her tilting it

S head eyes narrowing in obvious question as the red haired maiden stepped forward hands up in a gesture of peace. Dubious the bear stepped forward great paw giving Merida pause, what was she doing?! Taking a calming breath she took another hesitant step forward and slowly reached out. Mor'du watched but accepted her approach eyes on her hand as gently, so gently, she settled it on he head finger passing through sparse fur touching the worn rough skin of the bald patch where his scar dominated his face.

"You are Alive… Your… Mor'du… B-but… You're not." She murmured pulling her hand back slowly her eyes meeting the watchful eyes of the bear.

"So… what do we do now?" she questioned the bear snorted shaking it's head the moment between them broken as it sat abruptly it's heavy weight shaking the ground beneath her feet she sighed sitting

"I don't understand We dropped a great stone n your head, I saw your spirit you died!" she exclaimed with her usual lack of tact the large animal snarled reproachfully and she glared right back

"No good growlin' at me you great beast You're the one who kept trying to eat me!" she snapped the bear looked affronted before shaking it's head Despite the lack of words Merida understood the insult

"Skin and bones? That's not what you thought you liar, You where quiet ready to chomp down on me that day and every other day I came across you, even when I was a child you beast." She said sighing chin in hand why had the wisps lead her here what was she supposed to do? The bear glared at her snorting and gesturing but this time it's meaning was lost she glanced up arching a brow

"Forgive me I'm still not fluent in bear." She said sarcastically unable to keep the confused annoyance from her tone "I don't know why I followed you here, if you're alive, you're alive but why am I involved!?" she demanded standing and throwing up her hands marching back and forth thoughtfully the bear watching with an unreadable expression.

"Well if nothing else, You'll have to stay here, if My father learns you're still alive he'll set out to slaughter you for keeps this time." She warned pointing a finger, Fur on end Mor'du growled snout curled Merida growled back "Cut it out! You're the one who bit off his leg beat up my mother and tried to eat me! He has more than one reason to want his revenge Be glad I'm willing to hide you then offer you up to him!" she said exasperatedly. This seemed to give him pause as he sat back eyeing her thoughtfully before letting out a guttural questioning grunt.

"The wisps lead me to you. There has to be a reason. They've led me before, I'm sure even you've followed them before, Until I know what this Fate is they've lead me to… I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt… for now anyway until we know this purpose… if nothing else we have to wait a few more months, if we can wait till the witch returns surely she'll know something!" she said as it dawned on her, she turned but Mor'du looked doubtful it took a moment for Merida to realize why

"I understand she's the one who got you like this but Unless you have a better Idea she's out best bet." She said watching him exasperated the bear looked thoughtful before finally nodding in an infuriatingly regale way "Ohh you are a prince aren't you?" she said rolling her eyes and shaking her head, how had she gotten herself mixed up with another bear?


	2. Chapter 2

**A Matter Of Time**

After the events of the movie Merida is shocked to Find Mor'du still roaming the woods of her homeland! When the great bear sees her she fear the end but oddly it merely turns away. Intrigued Merida follows him into destiny.

Chapter 2

Thinking

Satisfied with her Plan to wait for the witches return Merida relaxed settling against a boulder and looking around. Mor'du had lumbered off as she sat thoughtful but returned hauling thick branches with his teeth she watched curiously as he moved the rubble from the fallen was and started to cover the hole she had fallen through with branches.

"Oh, Yes I guess I did put a hole In your ceiling didn't I?" she said taking the bears grunt as annoyance. She walking over grabbing a branch but when she tried to pull the heavy paw came down on it and the bear growled eyeing her with suspicion. With a sigh Merida scowled at him "Oh stop it, I'm trying to help." She said exasperated, why was he so temperamental? (she chose to forget all the times she'd shot at him.. and even having taken aim at him earlier before realizing he'd somehow regained his sanity.) When Mor'du only tilted his head questioningly she blushed slightly

"Well… I am the one who fell through the roof, I should help fix it." She admitted glancing at the large black bear. It seemed to study her a long moment , but rather then feeling uncomfortable with the scrutiny Merida felt calm. She wasn't sure why, maybe it was because he did have his sanity back… He must have been feeling so confused, he'd been wild for so long, what was he thinking how was he feeling? Able to think and feel again rather than being a purely instinctual animal again with no mind or heart? How was that effecting him? After a long moment he finally relaxed and lifted his paw, either he agreed she should help, or he'd resigned himself to the fact he was too heavy and awkward to cover the parts in the middle without crushing them and needing to start all over again.

They worked together in silence for a good long while, Merida lost in her thoughts all the while every so often she'd shoot a glance at Mor'du and wonder what he was thinking. Everything she'd heard about him as a prince had painted him in the most horrifying light Imaginable. As A bear he had done many hateful and angry things, even if he had been claimed by the wild nature of the bear. Maybe hundreds of years living as a bear had changed his tune a little, mellowed him out some? She wasn't sure really, but anytime it popped into her mind not to trust him the same soft voice That told her not to shoot him, that had goaded her to follow, insisted all would be ok.

Of course she really didn't want to go into the fact that she was listening to voice in her head. She'd seen men with addled minds before, she had no desire to sink into a babbling madness with voices trouncing about in her skull! But as it seemed a… calming voice, she'd follow it for now and just make sure.. she… didn't ever mention it _Ever._

Flopping down one the last of the branches where in place Merida smiled "It won't keep out the worst of the cold, but, it'll do for now till we can find something to properly cover it." She said grinning at the bear. Mor'du was watching her again with that same expression, she was growing used to it, a mix of confusion, and something she couldn't decipher in the bears facial expression, perhaps something she wouldn't have understood even if he had the face of a man. Eventually the bear stood and made a noise, Merida watched as he gestured before turning and starting to lumber ff. Apparently unsatisfied he stopped and turned to her and gestured again, then it dawned on her, he wanted her to follow him!

Looking back to make Angus was secured she moved and followed the bear. He meandered away from the castle down along the cliff face and towards the frozen waters before he was suddenly gone! Merida gasped running around the rock he'd turned and looked in awe at the dark hole where he'd sat to see if she'd find it. It was so well placed unless you looked right at it, you'd never find it!

"So this is how you get in." she murmured amazed following him into the cave. Again she paused, was it a good idea following a man eating bear into a cave?

_Trust_

The word echoed again in her mind and Merida sighed, well she'd come this far, Nodding she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt with cautious steps she followed the monster bear into his home. Looking around squinting as light grew dim. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the murky darkness, she gasped as she bumped in to furry warmth, stepping back she look up at the bear. Mor'du shifted stepping to the side, inside the cavern opened up into the palace. Built into the rock, it had fallen into disrepair but she could see it had once been quiet grand a beautiful marvelous building.

"There's sconces for torches." She said stepping forward and frowning thoughtfully "If we can light these you can have light to actually see." She said. The bear nodded lumbering along, she shrugged following after him into a hall, following along she realized the stone she thought she was stepping on where animals bones. She gasped swallowing thickly moving quickly hitting against the back of the bear again, Mor'du looked back curiously But Merida didn't see her eyes on the bones. Feeling his eyes on her she looked up blushing

"W-what it's nothing." She said defiantly. Considering her a moment Mor'du shifted moving his great paw and began to push the bones to the sides of the path way. Merida watched stunned he would think to do that before continuing to follow, that certainly seemed oddly charitably for the temperamental bear. She followed after him mumbling thanks, honestly she was a little reassured now that she wasn't listening to the crunch of little animal bones under her feet… she had a sick feeling some of them where human too but she couldn't bring herself to look any closer to check.

She followed along the corridor until he made his way into a large well used room, it was full of more bones, piles of them, a thick patch that he lumbered to and sat in quiet regally, it was like a nest, obviously his bed, it was thickly padded with fur he;d shed over the years and there was a distinct musty beary smell in it. "So thie'll be your room then, what did you lead me here for?" she asked curiously, she bear rolled his shoulder in a shrug before flopping down seeming, like her, to not know exactly where he wanted to go with his new found sentience and her seeming understanding of him. Merida sighed "Well at least I know where to find you, that's something." She said relenting looking around before shifting "I'm going to head home, it's later then I intended they'll be worrying about me, but… I'll be back, tomorrow as soon as my studies are finished." She said. Mor'du looked up arching a brow, Merida smiled

"Well I am the princess and eldest child of my clan, I have a lot of duties, that means a lot of learning." She said the bear nodded agreeably before making a sweeping gesture with his paw obviously understanding well the duties of a royal Merida smiled "Yes, I guess as a prince you know it well don't you." She said chuckling lightly stepping forward she set a hand on the still raised paw.

"Count this as a promise then I'll come back, I'll help you find a way to break your curse, if the witch can't help we'll find something else." She assured with unfailing faith, with a flounce she turned heading off fiery hair vanishing in the darkness of the corridor Mor'du watching until he could no longer hear her footfalls echoing and bouncing off the walls. Crossing heavy paws he settled thoughtfully.

The ride home seemed so short, being lost in thought as Merida was, part of her needed to figure out how she intended to keep her promise with Mor'du how was she going to combat a curse if the witch couldn't? She growled stressing as she thought about it, she wasn't a witch she wouldn't know where to begin with magic, it had taken her forever to figure out the witches clue for her mother's curse!

Frustrated she racked her hand through already untamable curls as Angus cantered through the gates and back towards the stables. Dismounting Merida went through the motions of cooling him and wiping him down, offering him and extra apple for being such a trooper when she'd left him alone to follow Mor'du into the ruins.

Deep and thoughtful she slipped into the castle and up into the main hall to join her family as they dined settling at her seat with uncharacteristic silence her mother and father bother watched her curiously before King Fergus continued with his story, regaling his sons of his epic fight with Mor'du Merida half listened as she pushed food about on her plate, how was she going to break a curse it supposed to be permanent after two days wasn't it?

"How was your day out Merida?" Elinor asked with a weak smile trying to coax something out of her unusually reserved child Merida looked up distracted before shaking her head and smiling "Fine it was great, sorry I guess I'm a little out of sorts, I think I'm going to go to bed." She said standing her plate left untouched as she swept for the hall and headed up to her room her thoughts absorbed by Mor'du, if her father had any idea he was still alive he'd surly hunt him down and skin him to be sure he stayed dead this time! She had to make sure he never found out!

There was so much, Breaking the curse, keeping him hidden from her father, slipping out without garnering her mother's attention. And keeping it all from the boys because oh would they make demands to keep it a secret if they even could! The little devils.

Stripping out of her soiled gown Merida slipped into her nightgown and paced her room thoughts ratting around in her head to loudly for the sleep she wanted. Heaving a sigh she walked to her balcony opening the doors to step out onto the little platform she leaned against the wall and looked out as the moon cast a silvery glow over the land. She wasn't sure what compelled her to look down but when she did she thought she saw the fleeting lumbering form of a giant black bear. But it was gone before she could convince herself it was real. Besides Mor'du, the now sentient beast that he was, would never risk his life to come this close to the castle and risk being killed by her father or the guardsmen!

With a sigh she turned and stepped inside, she really didn't want to analyze that wilting in her chest that she'd felt after convincing herself he hadn't been there at all.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Matter Of Time**

After the events of the movie Merida is shocked to Find Mor'du still roaming the woods of her homeland! When the great bear sees her she fear the end but oddly it merely turns away. Intrigued Merida follows him into destiny.

Chapter 3

Meditation

What had driven him to go to those woods? The heavy bear lumbered through the cave to the warm comfort of his den internally berating himself. His dark growls and grumbles sending mice skittering faster then usual, but he took no notice. The fire child intrigued him greatly but by the gods why would he risk his precarious safety to see she'd gotten back there? He knew well he was not the only bear in these lands. His presence thus far had prevent other bears from wandering into the area but it with the wild nature of the bear contained by the mind of the man he knew they would begin to return… the man inside may have stopped him from killing that girl every times they crossed paths but there was no man to stop any other bear from killing her should they come across her.

He growled swiping at bone angrily, he didn't care he knew that the witches spell has cured his to this fate, his selfish greed had led him to kill his own brothers when the sun had risen the second day and he had succumbed to the mindless rage of the bear inside him… He had grieved. A man could grieve the loss of his brothers even buried by the fierce violence of a bear. And he had many many years to grieve. At first he had blamed the witch if she had never turned him into a bear if she had given him what he'd damn well asked for! Then his brothers would never have suffered, even if they had been different from him, even if he once had thought them weaker than him, He hadn't wanted them dead. But as years passed, land changed and the story fell to legend and lore, he accepted, This was his own fault, he had desired power more than the peace his father had sought. His desires had killed his brothers and destroyed the kingdom his desire for power had lost him everything.

He had resigned himself his fate, and for centuries watched from deep within the mind of the bear, saw the woods grow and reclaim the palace, watched smaller clans grow, watched a kingdom built so close to his own, and their lord and lady. So much time had passed it had stretched long, and had passed so quickly. In a way he couldn't clearly explain to himself even though he'd lived it. He'd watched the warring clans come together while they faced invaders, He had watched a young lord grow to be a king.

Oneday to the surprise of him and the bear that ruled him the whisps had appared. So long had they been silent to him that he had begun to believe his human life had been a long bizarre dream. But there they were, he had faught for what controle her could and managed to make the bear follow, and there hopping through the trees giggling delightedly as she sought out her arrow was a child of fire. Hair burning bright in the sun skin clear and white as the hottest flame. But that moment of disorientation seeing living flame the bear had reclaimed it's place and moved through the brush, it saw threat, always the human had stayed dormant within, it ruled it was power and control! Whips lead a man to his fate, the bear would not be lost to fate and so it sought to kill the fire.

The fight of the prince inside and the young lord had subdued the bear, it had fled knowing it couldn't fight inside and out. The prince had been shocked, never, never had he fought for control and won. Even when he had tried to keep the bear from killing his brothers he'd fought… he'd fought so hard, and he had failed, why now, why had it worked now?

The more he had thought on it the more he began to realize in the years he had become more of the bear, letting himself sink into it, and it in it's simple mind and desire for control born from his own poisoned mind, it had spawned its own weakness by letting him become a bigger part of it he had wrestled control from it. While it still had the body He extracted heavier influence. And as year passed he watched the shining fire child grow from the lively spark to a passionate flame who rode as if she wanted to become the very wind.

He watched as her arrows once wild and willful fell under control and an expert hand. The wisps sparked before her as they had him that day and they kept leading him to her and yet he saw at no time did they lead her to him… was he not her fate was he wrong?, the control he exerted was enough to keep the bear from killing her, though at times the struggle was fierce and he would go month without venturing from his cave for fear of slaughtering her.

Then something had changed, the wisps came to him, in his very home beckoning him out, the bear had lumbered against his urging fighting for its dominance even as he risked all by venturing forth. And there she was, tossed from her horse weeping flame. He watched in silence as the wisps appeared not to him this time but to her leading her along a path her knew well. Cold dread had filled him and power surged forth. He hadn't the ability to follow her he couldn't go there not again! His fear had stolen his power and the bear wrested control from him. He felt himself buried in the blackness of his mind and when he finally broke the surface they were in the ruins, and she was there flaming hair sparking red gold in the weak shaft of light coming from a hole in the roof.

Unable to reclaim control he had only been able to watch helplessly as the demon bear Tried to kill the fire child. A female bears whines of distress had caught his attention, not so much the other bears. She fought valiantly to rescue the girl and suddenly he knew, the female bear had fallen to the witch not his fire child. Relief had been a disorienting bile, enough to make the bear pause even as the mother had pushed the crumbling wall upon him so they could make their escape. He held no ill will for her fast thinking, applauded her ingenuity stopping the beast of a bear from killing her first born. She might not look like the long haired queen with her silver streak of hair that had shielded her child in sheer terror when the demon bear had attacked all those year ago but the man inside just knew deep down that she bore the same curse as he.

Suddenly it had become clear, laying under the ruble with better control he knew the wisps had led the girl to the witch and the girl had used her spell on her mother. Why that was he didn't know, he wondered if it had anything to do with the other clan leaders having arrived but frankly he didn't care, he simply didn't want the fire child to die!

Much about the entire situation confused him, since that day the wisps had led him to her nothing had made sense, him being able to exert some control over the bear, the wisps leading him to her, to this child! He growled launching suddenly paw swiping sending bones and rocks flying and crashing against the wall of his den as he stalked. Why? Why had the wisps led him to this girl! It enraged him… and still, still they led him… He had thought, when he awoke his mind free of the bear and his mindless rage, he had hoped preyed it was over, yes he was still a bear but he was himself! No, no freedom, the wisps had appeared again and he had followed, and again they led him to the fire child, she had looked on him with fear when she had realized he'd approached she aimed to shoot him, Had shot him! Did he blame her? No! The bear inside had tried to kill her had wanted desperately to kill her.

So he had left her, Perhaps the wisps had led him to her so she could finish him off but if those silly little arrow where the best she had she stood no chance against him… he was free of the bear but still he hadn't killed her. It had been a shock to realize She had followed him… why? He had spent the better part of her life trying to kill her hunting her like an animal (or, well, the bear had) why would she risk all to follow him what if he had still been the demon bear?! The faint coaxing of the wisps angered him he had been so darkly tempted to turn and roar and scare her off, but he hadn't, why? He wasn't sure. Perhaps because the wisps where leading her to him for once, perhaps because he had trusted his fate to her once and she had freed him. Well her mother shoving him into a magic rock that had crushed his body had freed him… but it was all to protect her, she was the reason she was the cause the ultimate pin that held the precariously raveled situation together.

So he had sat none to pleased and waited her approach, and she came emerging through the mist shining brilliantly, it angered him… why, why was this creature this girl coming to him? She set down her Bow all the while watching him and the suspicion in him had eased. As she approached she'd lifted her hands. And against his better judgment he had approached, what did he have to lose? This girl he had watched grow into a passionate willful young woman… her hand had been hesitant settling on his head, the fingers gently combing through his fur and trailing the bare patch on his face, she had spoken words soft awed for a moment he'd let himself forget.. forget it all and just bask in the warm kind touch, in touch at all, so long he'd gone alone so deep with only the domination of the bear, and here she touched she spoke with awe, she touched him freely. Met his eyes as an equal and he savored… but the reality crashed back and he'd destroyed the moment hating his weakness.

Banishing his thought he moved snuffling in the branches and arranging the pile he used for a bed curling up he settled down but his head, resting on great paws, turned toward the door and beyond where the corridor stretched into darkness. Her scent lingered and he wondered if she would return.. Perhaps. He possessed a tenacity not even his brothers, princes, had held in their hearts. Laying there he wondered, what fate kept bringing them together, was she really, meant to bring him death? Eyes closing he pondered, and wondered and let his mind wander, at what other possibilities fate might have in store for them.

* * *

Merida woke early but didn't rouse from her bed for a long while. Staring at her canopy thoughtfully she scowled her dreams had been full of bears destroying castles and her father and a prince killing each other. It took her mother coming in a throwing open the curtains to get her to relent and roll out of bed with a surprising lack of protest that had her mother watching her oddly all morning.

Not wanting her parents to ask to much Merida strived to act perky and normal. So, when Elinor finally asked if she was alright Merida nodded smiling eagerly "Yes I am I swear I rode long and hard yesterday I just wore myself out that's all." She assured laughing and relenting as your three monsters of little brothers claimed her sweet cake to split between them she shrugged rolling her eyes and piled her plate to fulfill her usual appetite which, happily enough, had returned during the night.

She may have been no closer to discovering a clue to help the now seemingly human minded bear, but a good night's sleep had helped. Finishing breakfast and forcing herself to pay attention she succumbed to her mother's lessons without complaint, she knew best behavior would be important and as she thought over what she planned to say Elinor commented on her progress with praise.

"Well.. Mum." She started carefully watching the dark brown of the queen rise in question. "It's just," she continued standing and stepping towards the window "We've been getting on better and I'm really glad, I am workin' hard you know now and trying." She said Elinor nodding "Aye, ye have dear You've come along so well.. Though I imagine it helps that I'm not… as forceful?" she asked a little hopefully, this relationship with her daughter was new ground they were both taking shaking steps to keep it steady She was making considerations she never had before, and she knew Merida was to.

"Oh yes, yes that wonderful Mum really, I do appreciate it, I know you listen and I'm listening to you know, but I wanted to ask, if I kept up my work and studies would you mind if I took off earlier in the afternoons to go riding?" she asked lifting both her hands as her mother's mouth automatically opened to voice protest "Just until winter sets in. I won't be able to go on longer rides much longer when the snow fall hits and I'd like to take advantage of the weather while it's still fair." She said perfect it was inspired a perfect way to get out and see Mor'du without suspicion, and as consideration clouded Elinor eyes Merida fought off a smile pressing her advantage.

"I promise I'll keep up my studies and try even harder to make up for the lost time, Please Mum just till the snow fall." She said green eyes shining pleading. Elinor sighed really was it such a harm? Now that Merida was putting effort into her studies She was coming along in leaps and bounds… "Well, I suppose, at least until the first snow fall, It's not, such a hardship." She said relenting lips twitching and Merida gave her personal victory dance "However I do expect you to live up to your word you'll work hard and listen as I teach you?" she said firmly Merida nodded "Sure sure' she said a little absently, enough so that Elinor said her name sternly, Merida's attention caught she turned to her mother and smiled nodding "Yes Mum, I promise I will keep up with my studies." She said her attention fully on her mother this time as she spoke, she owed the queen this much for lying his way, but maybe after they had found whatever they were meant to do to fulfill their fate, Maybe then she could tell her mother about it and be forgiven.


End file.
